Wrapping Friday (what there was of it)

By NED X. GRIFFEN

On the first football Friday of October, Platt of Meriden was trucked by Rocky Hill. It was its second loss in four games.

On the first football Friday of November, Platt ran down previously unbeaten Berlin, 34-14.

Oh, sweet football. You always bring us The Wacky every November.

Berlin, ranked 10th in The Day of New London's Top 10 state coaches poll, had feasted on its fellow Central Connecticut Conference Division III schools. It looked poised to be a top seed in Class M.

Platt, well, it was ground up by Rocky Hill, 48-8, back on Oct. 5. It rattled off three straight wins since that loss, but hadn't beaten anyone of the Berlin's stature.

You can imagine what the Panthers were thinking Friday when, on the second play, the Redcoats' Justin Gombotz ran for a 48-yard touchdown.

Platt didn’t get rattled. It gradually took control of the game as its offensive line allowed tailback Justin Potts and quarterback Andrew McBride to grind out yardage.

Potts was Platt's Brahma bull. He ran 34 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns.

McBride had 22 carries for 176 yards and two scores.

The bonus for the Panthers is that they’ve played themselves back into the Class L playoff race. They play at East Catholic of Manchester (1-6) next Saturday. They conclude the regular season against town-rival Maloney (2-6) on Thanksgrabbing.

Everyone here at Polecat HQ will put their collective brains together and produce a new playoff forecast for YOU in the upcoming days.

The night's other big news came from The Valley — Arkeel Newsome ran 34 times for 249 yards and three touchdowns as Ansonia thumped Wolcott, 41-12, in a game of unbeaten teams.

Ansonia and Platt's wins reconfigured the Class M playoff rankings. Wolcott (7-1) was ranked first headed into Friday and Berlin was second.

Ellington/Somers (7-0) is now first in division, followed by Barlow of second. They’re the only two unbeaten teams left in Class M.

Wolcott fell to third and Berlin fourth.

Note that both Barlow and Ellington/Somers have yet to play their toughest respective opponents.

Ellington/Somers travels to Avon (8-0) next Saturday with the winner earning the Pequot Uncas Division title.

Barlow plays at No. 5 Masuk of Monroe (7-0) next Friday. It travels to Brookfield (5-2) the following weekend.

(About the Bobcats’ two losses — they came at the hands of Masuk and unbeaten Newtown.)

Here's a quick rundown of how The Day Top 10 fared:

No. 1 Hand of Madison's game against Notre Dame was postponed to Thursday, Nov. 15.

No. 2 Ansonia beat Wolcott, 41-12. How many reporters does it take to cover one game in The Valley? Ryan Flynn of Hearst Inc., Mark Jaffee of the Waterbury Republican-American, and Pooch Diggity Dog of the New Haven Register all reporting.

No. 3 Staples of Westport's game against Fairfield Warde was postponed until Thursday, Nov. 8